News
The greatest mass demonstration of relief and joy’ witnessed in city (Canada’s Capital)
May 19, 2020
Lindsay Lambert has written a letter to the Editor of the Ottawa Citizen, our local newspaper.
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Dear Editor,
Blair Crawford states in his article on the great celebrations of VE-Day that “Canada’s National War Memorial… in memory of the First, was hastily converted with the addition of the years 1939-1945 to its base. Even now, 75 years later, Canada has no national memorial dedicated solely to the Second World War.
We actually do: It’s Jacques Greber’s Plan for the National Capital, the Federal Government’s Master Plan for the growth and development of the Capital Region, commissioned by Prime Minister Mackenzie King and published in 1950. From the first page of the Introduction, “IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER MEMORIAL OF THE WAR JUST ENDED THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF CANADA’S NATIONAL CAPITAL AND ITS ENVIRONMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE OTTAWA RIVER.” An extract from the Privy Council Minutes of October 31st, 1945, on page 5 states that Mr. Greber has been engaged “with a view of preparing plans for a suitable long-term development of such area as a National War Memorial.”
The National Capital Commission was created in 1958 to implement Greber’s Plan. It has shaped Ottawa the way we know it today, giving us Confederation Square, The Greenbelt, the Queensway, the Parkway and others. It is not complete, as the finishing touch still remains to be done. Greber specifies on page 230 that:
“The most effective improvement will be the central park at the Chaudiere Falls. (His italics.)
The time will come when the heavy and obnoxious industries, now occupying the islands, peninsula, and the rocks, from which the falls originally receded, will finally move to more appropriate sites, for their normal development, and more economical operation.
The Master Plan is a long range programme based on which the Capital will grow; urban planning deserves resolute perseverance, and the Falls will always remain the main feature of Ottawa’s natural setting.“
He continues on page 250:
“The proposed transformation… is properly a restitution scheme, the merits of which can be judged from a great many old prints, which show how impressive was the original setting of the Chaudiere Falls, the Ottawa River banks and the whole of Parliament Hill. Such proposal aims to give a more dignified environment to the representative buildings of the nation, and is more particularly a matter of national pride….
The restoration of the Chaudiere Islands to their primitive beauty and wildness, is perhaps the theme of greatest importance, from the aesthetic point of view —- the theme that will appeal, not only to local citizens, but to all Canadians who take pride in their country and its institutions.”
I can’t imagine a more fitting centre to a War Memorial than a central park on the Chaudiere Islands: Prior to European settlement, the area was an Indigenous sacred and peaceful meeting place for at least 5,000 years. Although it is within Algonquin territory, it was considered neutral. People would come from huge distances. They would camp on the riverbanks, leave their weapons behind, and canoe to the Islands to gather in peace. Enemies met here. It was a place of communications and governance. It’s a place without War, which might be unique in this world. It’s the ideal. Canada is a peacekeeping nation. We should be celebrating this.
We are instead building condos on the heart of our National War Memorial to the Second World War.
Comments 2
Thanks to Lindsay Lambert for all his diligent work over these so many years.. on the website Owl Outaouais Wellness Learning are conversations with Elder Lindsay Lambert and many others.. since 2016 and the on going appeal process this Canada Day 2020 we need an ideal..
In 2019 on Asinabka Island known as Victoria Island before it was closed the Fall of 2019 a Citizenship Ceremony was held including Elder Douglas Cardinal his wife Idoia and Algonquin Elder Annie-St George Smith and many others. at this ceremony the Canadian National Anthem was sung in three languages Algonquin, English and French and pins designed by Lindsay Lambert were presented to all new Canadians..
Go to http://www.OutaouaisWellnessLearning.com
to see the film of this event and many others as Canada continues in 2020 to awaken to do what is right to truly honor and acknowledge this Sacred Spiritual Algonquin Territory we are all blessed to live and build up Peace through COVID 19 waking us all up to what is most important is what is deep inside ourselves..
To awaken our own hearts and souls to see the Peace Centre replace pollution and the vision of Elder William Commanda rise up as our One Reality in all our hearts as we vision and action together new polices by all governments to make this Nation respected as a Global Leader by truly honoring we as a Nation are now ready to honor our promised actions of the many leaders before us who promised a Peace Centre would be built on Asinabka Victoria Island as this Nation at long last rises up to become a Peace Global Leader of Justice. .thanks to all the persistent work of Lindsay Lambert and so many others.
Deep thanks to Lindsay Lambert for all his diligent work.. Lindsay can be seen in conversation and at the Citizenship Ceremony he was part of in 2019 on Victoria Island before the Island was closed because of having so much pollution.
This is a time in 2020 to see such films marking our progress forward as a Nation as activist for Peace work as Allies for all our Indigenous Peoples of Canada and manifest the Vision of Elder Algonquin Spiritual Leader William Commanda for a Peace Centre and the teachings of his people to be heard, acknowledged and their wisdom used as we go through COVID 19..
it is time to hear their voices.. In joy Outaouais Wellness Learning celebrates wisdom and common sense are replacing any form of injustices either in the past or present moment because of the great work of activists such as Lindsay Lambert and my friend Elke Kassandra of Citizenship Canada and Linda Laurent of Aylmer Durmming Group Algonquin Elder Annie St. George and Elder “Douglas Cardinal and his wife Idoia all present to drum and to sing with us and to witness in the three languages of Canada’s National Anthem by a children’s choir our National Anthem in 2019 sung in the three languages of Algonquin, French, English .
The translation done by another Algonquin friend.. Yes I have great hope for Vision in 2020 to replace the old ways. see the website for films of Lindsay in conversation and at this event on the island before it was closed due to pollution the Fall of 2019! May the Peace Tree survive in all our hears is the Vision of William Commanda to be lived. http://www.OutaouaisWellnessLearning celebrates hope!